Copper Isle Betrayal
by VeRaLiDaInE28
Summary: Ever wonder how Rikash became a stormwing? Intrigue, gossip, romance, betrayal, it's all in here. Please R/R!!!! *Chapter 2 up*
1. The meeting

Disclaimer: I don't own (sadly) any of the characters, just Aileen and the plot.  
  
The arrogant dark-haired young man strode confidently through the palace. Heir to the throne of the Copper Isles, he had every right to be arrogant, every right to treat everyone else as though they were lower than him. His hair had been freshly greased and braided into the complex loops that were the latest fashion on the island, and he wore his finest navy-coloured cloak, with a copper breastplate showing his royal insignia of a crown with crossed swords passing through the middle. He was the type of man ladies flocked towards, and being the heir to an island kingdom helped his status considerably. He was on his way to the ball his parents had organized to introduce him to the newest arrivals worthy of such an upstanding young man. As he entered the ballroom, he cast an appreciative eye towards the young ladies waiting nervously to make his acquaintance. One in particular caught his eye. A raven-haired beauty, she showed no outward signs of nervousness as she waited for the prince. As opposed to the pastel- coloured gowns that were in fashion, she wore a startling, eye-catching ruby-coloured dress with a plunging neckline. A pair of ice-blue eyes met his, and the prince realized he had been staring. He quickly averted his eyes to the tapestry hanging just behind the young woman, but he had the uncomfortable feeling his ruse had been seen through, and that this mysterious girl knew exactly what he had been thinking. The band struck up a song, and the prince sighed and dutifully offered his arm to the first girl in line, a blonde, blue-eyed twittering girl who looked as though she couldn't carry on an intelligent conversation if her life depended on it. As though proving his point, she proceeded to speak of his prowess in the fighting arts. The conversation would have been interesting, as it spoke of the prince's favorite topic: himself, and not to mention flattering, if he hadn't heard the next girl in line making these same points to this girl as he walked in. After several boring dances, during which he was forced to make polite conversation, he reached the raven-haired beauty he had noticed earlier. "Prince Rikash" she murmured as she curtsied, sounding as bored as Rikash felt.  
  
"May I ask who I have the honor of addressing?" he inquired.  
  
"My name is Lady Aileen" she replied calmly.  
  
"Of." Rikash was puzzled. Most young ladies took the opportunity to state their home immediately, as though they thought the amount of land they owned would impress the prince.  
  
"Of a home of no consequence whatsoever." She smiled up at him. "I want you to get to know me for me, not for the amount of people my ancestors killed to get their land."  
  
"Well," Rikash said dryly, "That's certainly an interesting way of looking at things." They danced for the rest of the night, causing Aileen to earn the eternal enmity of every other eligible girl there. When Rikash at last made to leave, he wasn't surprised to see Aileen follow him discretely.  
  
"You do know this will be all over court tomorrow?" He inquired, his contempt of court gossips showing plainly. "Of course I know!" Aileen looked shocked. Isn't that what I'm here for? To show everyone that you're not the innocent little crown heir they think you are?" Rikash grinned at her words, his amusement of her fire showing through. When they reached his rooms, Rikash held the door grandly for Aileen to walk through.  
  
"Hmmm.very nice!" She said appreciatively. "One could get used to this very easily."  
  
"Would you care to.become better acquainted with some of the.errr.areas of the room?" Rikash winced inwardly. That was probably the most ridiculous thing ever to escape his lips, but something about this girl shattered his normally calm demeanor. She threw him completely off balance, and even worse was that she seemed to know it. Aileen raised a thin black eyebrow.  
  
"That.doesn't even deserve comment." She mock glared at him. "What do you think I'm here for, anyway?" She smiled when she saw him squirm.  
  
"Well..errr.." She laughed at the prince's obvious discomfort. She gave him a soft kiss and was rewarded with his gasp. "It's time someone put you a little off balance," she told him in a husky whisper.  
  
A/N: Sorry about the cliffhanger.Please review!! If there's any interest, I'll definitely continue, please let me know!!! 


	2. Confusion

Disclaimer: I don't own (sadly) any of the characters, just Aileen and the plot.  
  
The sun streaming in Rikash's windows woke him the next morning. He smiled;  
  
blissfully not awake enough to remember any of the events of the previous night. All of a  
  
sudden, memory returned in a flash. Rikash groaned out loud, incredibly embarrassed.  
  
He had always been somewhat of a ladies man, but that didn't apply, obviously, to  
  
Aileen. After making all those suggestive comments and kissing him, she just.left! She  
  
walked out of the room with no explanation what so ever. It completely confused  
  
Rikash, and he didn't know what to think. Had he done anything to chase her away? He  
  
simply wasn't sure. He lay abed until his personal servants came into his room to braid  
  
his hair. The ambassadors from Carthak were arriving today, and it was important he  
  
make a good impression. His parents had already informed him that an alliance with  
  
Emperor Ozorne, the ruler of Carthak, was vital to their survival of the country. Most  
  
likely, for today at least, he would simply have to sit there and look interested, but he  
  
made sure he was prepared for anything he might be called upon to do. After donning his  
  
deep green robe, Rikash braced himself for a round of intensely boring speeches.  
  
Between the two countries, there were many ceremonial rituals that would need to be  
  
observed, so by the time the real speeches even got started, it would be quite a few hours  
  
away. Striding toward the hall where his parents received visitors, he decided to push all  
  
thoughts of Aileen out of his mind until he had a time where he could sit and determine  
  
his next course of action.  
  
Aileen was afraid, although she strove to show no sign of it. She had thought, when she  
  
got into this entire mess at the beginning, that if she didn't like it, she could simply cut  
  
her losses and disappear. Once she got higher and higher into the inner circle, though,  
  
the temptation to stay for the ultimate reward had become too great. Now she was in  
  
over her head, and she was much too dangerous to let go. Vol simply wouldn't let her get  
  
away now, and with all his connections, he would hunt her down and kill her in an instant  
  
if she ever did muster up the courage to get away. So for now, she bided her time,  
  
agreeing to all of Vol's demands and following his orders. That was why she was here  
  
now.  
  
"Excellent, my sweet," Vol was a blond-haired man, not being from the Copper Isles  
  
themselves. He was small, but the feeling of power that emanated from his being was  
  
incredible. He was able to inspire great love and loyalty in even the most skeptical of  
  
men, and thus his web of informants stretched far and wide. He had infiltrated right up to  
  
the royal circle, but his informants weren't in a position of true power, and they didn't  
  
hear of anything of great importance. That was where Aileen was concerned. Men  
  
became fools around her, and they would tell her anything she wanted to know, if she  
  
went about it the right way.  
  
"You have done me proud. The prince won't be able to fathom your behavior, but he  
  
won't mention it to anyone, because that would give the impression that he couldn't  
  
handle it himself. Don't go too far for now, simply tease him until he's willing to tell you  
  
anything."  
  
"Yes, My Lord" Aileen replied, allowing none of her true feelings to show through. She  
  
actually found the prince not as bad as he was said to be. And the way he looked at  
  
her.it almost made her consider giving herself up to Their Majesties mercy.  
  
Vol looked at Aileen closely. There was something different about her.but he couldn't  
  
place it. "Just make sure you're ready at the ball tonight," he told her before striding out  
  
of the room in a whirl of black cape.  
  
Okay, hopefully that wasn't too weak.please please review.tell me if I should continue!!!! Thanks so so so much to everyone who did, you guys are the greatest! XOXO vErLiDaInE28 


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